References

Original Reference: European Commission (2023), Employment and social developments in Europe: Addressing labour shortages and skills gaps in the EU, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.

Brief Summary: This report outlines key trends in employment and social developments in Europe. RAPs should focus on job creation in rural areas, particularly in green and digital sectors. PoliRuralPlus pilots can address rural employment challenges by creating new job opportunities and improving social services for rural workers and communities.

URL: Employment and Social Developments in Europe 2023

Original Reference: Ohligs, M., Stocklassa, S., Rossaint, R., Czaplik, M. and Follmann, A. (2020), ‘Employment of telemedicine in nursing homes: Clinical requirement analysis, system development and first test results’, Clinical Interventions in Aging, Vol. 15, pp. 1427–1437.

Brief Summary: Analyzes the implementation of telemedicine in nursing homes, focusing on clinical requirements and results. Implications: Telemedicine offers opportunities for expanding healthcare access in rural areas. Recommendations: Incorporate telemedicine solutions into RAPs to bridge healthcare gaps between rural and urban regions, improving service accessibility​.

URL: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343705386_Employment_of_Telemedicine_in_Nursing_Homes_Clinical_Requirement_Analysis_System_Development_and_First_Test_Results

Original Reference: Eurofound (2022), Does Europe lead the way in institutional quality? Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.

Brief Summary: This report examines how employment shifted during the pandemic, highlighting job losses in vulnerable sectors. RAPs should focus on creating resilient rural economies that can absorb shocks during crises. PoliRuralPlus pilots can adopt strategies that diversify rural economies and promote employment in crisis-resilient sectors like agriculture and tech.

URL: https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/system/files/2022-11/ef22026en.pdf

Original Reference: Pina, Á. and Sicari, P. (2021), Enhancing regional convergence in the European Union, OECD Economics Department Working Papers No. 1696, OECD Publishing, Paris.

Brief Summary: Focuses on strategies for reducing regional disparities in the EU. Recommendations: Use convergence analysis tools in RAPs to identify disparities and tailor solutions for enhancing rural-urban cooperation, particularly in regions with significant socio-economic gaps.

URL: https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2021/12/enhancing-regional-convergence-in-the-european-union_25467e7a/253dd6ee-en.pdf

Original Reference: ESPON (2020), European shrinking rural areas: Challenges, actions and perspectives for territorial governance, final report, Annex 8, ESPON EGTC, Luxembourg.

Brief Summary: This report examines how regions across Europe responded to economic crises and their resilience levels. RAPs should prioritize building economic resilience in rural areas through diversification and innovation. PoliRuralPlus pilots can adopt these strategies to enhance rural economic resilience and reduce vulnerability to external shocks.

URL: https://archive.espon.eu/sites/default/files/attachments/ESPON%20ESCAPE%20Synthesis%20Report.pdf

Original Reference: Bachtler, J. and Begg, I. (2017), ‘Cohesion policy after Brexit: The economic, social and institutional challenges’, Journal of Social Policy, Vol. 46, No. 4, pp. 745–763.

Brief Summary: Evaluates the impact of Brexit on rural-urban cohesion policies. Recommends considering Brexit-induced economic shifts in PoliRuralPlus pilot regions, especially regarding market access and regional cooperation.

URL: Strathclyde University

Original Reference: Kah, S., Georgieva, N. and Fonseca, L. (2020), Research for REGI Committee – EU Cohesion Policy in non-urban areas, European Parliament, Policy Department for Structural and Cohesion Policies, Brussels.

Brief Summary: This report discusses how EU cohesion policy impacts rural areas, with recommendations for more tailored, place-based interventions to foster rural-urban synergies. RAPs could adopt similar approaches to promote balanced regional growth and sustainability.

URL: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2020/652210/IPOL_STU(2020)652210_EN.pdf

Original Reference: Scharfbillig, M. (2021), Values and identities – A policymaker’s guide, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.

Brief Summary: Examines digital agricultural tools for improving rural-urban connectivity. Implications: Digital agriculture can optimize supply chains and foster rural economic growth. Recommendations: Enhance the digital capabilities of rural regions to better integrate them into urban markets and supply chains​.

URL: https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC126150

Original Reference: European Committee of the Regions (2022), EU annual report on the state of regions and cities, Brussels.

Brief Summary: Outlines EU's cohesion policy for reducing disparities between regions, focusing on economic development, social cohesion, and territorial cooperation. Implications: Emphasizes the importance of targeted support to disadvantaged rural areas. Recommendations: Integrate cohesion policy principles into RAPs, focusing on resource allocation to improve rural infrastructure and services.

URL: Link 1

Original Reference: European Commission (undated-c), The EU’s main investment policy, web page, available at https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/policy/what/investment-policy_en, accessed 10 July 2023.

Brief Summary: This page provides information on EU investment policies aimed at fostering regional growth. RAPs should attract investments to rural areas to support economic diversification and innovation. PoliRuralPlus pilots can use investment policies to enhance rural economic growth, infrastructure, and green projects that link rural and urban areas.

URL: EU Investment Policy

Original Reference: European Commission (undated-b), Rural development, web page, available at https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/policy/themes/rural-development_en, accessed 11 July 2023.

Brief Summary: This page outlines the EU’s rural development policies, with a focus on sustainable agriculture and regional development. RAPs should align with EU rural development policies to promote sustainable rural-urban linkages. PoliRuralPlus pilots can adopt sustainable agriculture and rural economic diversification strategies to improve rural resilience.

URL: EU Rural Development Policy

Original Reference: Eurostat (undated-a), NUTS – Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics, web page, available at https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/nuts/background, accessed 11 July 2023.

Brief Summary: Focuses on improving economic, environmental, and social conditions in rural areas, with funding mechanisms such as the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). Implications: Critical for integrating rural-urban regional plans. Recommendations: RAPs should leverage EAFRD for sustainable agricultural projects, enhancing rural economic development, and bridging the rural-urban gap.

URL: Rural Development Policy

Original Reference: Eurostat (2022a), Eurostat regional yearbook, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.

Brief Summary: Focuses on Irish regional statistics, including rural and urban challenges. Implications: Highlights region-specific insights for Ireland's rural areas. Recommendations: Irish PoliRuralPlus pilots should leverage this data to design tailored RAPs addressing rural economic and social challenges.

URL: https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/37936/1/Eurostat_regional_yearbook_2022.pdf

Original Reference: Urban Food Actions platform, FAO.

Brief Summary: Focuses on how food systems interlink urban and rural areas. For PoliRuralPlus, promoting local food production and urban-rural supply chains can enhance food security and sustainability while boosting rural economies.

URL: http://www.fao.org/urban-food-actions/en/

Original Reference: Rural Observatory (undated), Broadband speed (mobile networks), web page, available at https://observatory.rural-vision.europa.eu/rural-focus?lng=en&ctx=RUROBS&ts=RUROBS&is=Default&tl=0&i=318&cl=rural&clc=infrastructure-20-26-20accessibility-1&db=1152&trc=DEGURB3&it=tercet-chart&pil=indicator-level&date=2022&cwt=line-chart, accessed 22 August 2023.

Brief Summary: Provides specific rural data indicators such as infrastructure and accessibility. Implications: Facilitates targeted interventions based on specific rural challenges. Recommendations: RAPs should prioritize investment in infrastructure based on regional accessibility indicators【31†source】【33†source】.

URL: https://observatory.rural-vision.europa.eu/rural-focus?lng=en&ctx=RUROBS&ts=RUROBS&is=Default&tl=0&i=318&cl=rural&clc=infrastructure-20-26-20accessibility-1&db=1152&trc=DEGURB3&it=tercet-chart&pil=indicator-level&date=2022&cwt=line-chart

Original Reference: Helpdesk (undated), Helpdesk – Social services helpdesk on EU funds, web page, available at https://eufunds4social.eu/bulgaria/, accessed 18 July 2023.

Brief Summary: This website tracks social funding in Bulgaria, with a focus on initiatives promoting inclusivity in rural-urban projects. Recommendations: Leverage EU funding instruments to support socially inclusive development strategies in rural-urban regions, especially in fostering innovation and local engagement in RAPs.

URL: https://eufunds4social.eu/bulgaria/

Original Reference: Allianz SE (2019), EU rural–urban income divide: The story untold, web page, accessed 10 July 2023.

Brief Summary: Examines the growing rural-urban divide and its social implications. Recommends policies to address inequalities, fostering rural development and addressing political instability in PoliRuralPlus areas.

URL: Eurofound Blog

Original Reference: Iordache, M. (2022), ‘Romania: Ciugud, European funds make a difference’, blog post, 6 February.

Brief Summary: This press release highlights the European Commission's commitment to supporting climate action and sustainable development through various initiatives, including those targeting rural-urban dynamics. Implications: Climate action initiatives can help mitigate the environmental impacts of urbanization on rural areas. Recommendations: RAPs should integrate climate resilience strategies into rural-urban planning, focusing on renewable energy, resource management, and sustainable agriculture to ensure long-term sustainability.

URL: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_4662

Original Reference: Eurofound (2023), Bridging the rural–urban divide: Addressing inequalities and empowering communities, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.

Brief Summary: Bridging the Rural-Urban Divide: Addressing Inequalities and Empowering Communities

URL: [Bridging the rural-urban divide: Addressing inequalities and empowering communities

Original Reference: Anduiza, E. (2002), ‘Individual characteristics, institutional incentives and electoral abstention in Western Europe’, European Journal of Political Research, Vol. 41, No. 5, pp. 643–673.

Brief Summary: Discusses the political divergence between rural and urban populations across Europe. Recommends that PoliRuralPlus pilots should address socio-political divides by fostering inclusive governance and ensuring equal representation.

URL: European Journal of Political Research Article